Kennebunk Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest about what we’re looking at for Kennebunk Beach over the next couple of weeks. It’s a tough stretch. The forecast is pretty much a long, flat spell with very little grunt behind it. The water temperature is sitting around 66°F which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s one small comfort if you’re just going for a paddle.

We’ve got a big gap of nothingness right through the start. From Wednesday afternoon right through until the morning of Thursday, September 3rd, there’s nothing worth getting wet for. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the scores are all zeros. It’s just flat and choppy.

The first real glimmer of something surfable shows up on Thursday morning, September 3rd. It’s still small, with a 3 ft swell from the ESE, at a short 6 second period. The combined energy (125) is moderate, so there’s a little bit of push, but it’s not going to set the world on fire. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the East, which will keep it reasonably clean. It’s a ‘surfable but very ordinary’ kind of morning. Not a standout, just the first chance to get a wet suit on.

After that, the pattern gets weird. Towards the end of the first week into the second, we see a pulse of size. Friday, September 4th sees the swell pick up to 5 ft, coming from the East with an 8 second period. The combined energy jumps to 382 (moderate to strong). But here’s the kicker: the wind is heavy rain and cross-off from the SE, or later, a strong breeze from the North that cleans it up. While the Saturday morning on the 5th has 5 ft at 9 seconds, the wind is a strong 28 mph cross-off. That’s serious wind. For a beach break like Kennebunk, this sets up more for a kite session than a clean paddle. The waves might be there, but the wind is going to make it a battle.

The best chance for a proper surf comes on Sunday, September 6th. The swell is 4 ft from the East, period stretching to 10 seconds, giving it a bit more shape. The combined energy is a solid 236. The wind is a strong offshore from the NNE at 25 mph. That’s proper offshore, which for a beach break can be a double-edged sword. It will be clean, but it will also be blowing hard, making it tough to paddle into and hold your line. The same goes for the afternoon on the 6th and the Monday morning on the 7th. The wind stays offshore, but it’s a battle of power versus the wind.

If I had to pick one true standout, it would be the afternoon of Wednesday, September 2nd. The swell is only 2 ft, but it’s from the SE with a long 11 second period. The combined energy is 73 (weak). The magic is that the wind is glassy – zero knots. It will be absolutely clean and tiny. Not a wave to ride, but a beautiful moment of calm. For actual surfing, the morning of Thursday, September 3rd is the best balance of a little bit of swell and clean wind. But honestly, there’s no epic swell on the cards. The bigger stuff is too windy, and the clean stuff is too small.

Rusty.

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